Cap for valve stems



Dec. 25, 1923. y EAT/8,448

HB. MEAD CAP FOR VALVE STEMS Filed Jan. 2lJ 1918 nfuewboz Patented Dec.25, 1923.

narran' stares HENRY B. MEAD, OF CLEVELND, OHIO.

CAP FOR VALVE STELVIS.

Application filed. January 2l, 1918.

To all fw 710m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY B. MEAD, a citizen of the `United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Caps for Valve Stems, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to caps for protecting and excluding dust fromthe valve stems of pneumatic tires, and has for its main object toprovide a cap which is easily and quickly attached to or detached fromthe valve stem without the necessity of turning it o the usual longthreaded part of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap having a slidablemember which is adapted to securely lock the cap to a valve stem andpermit its ready removal.

/Vith the above and other objects in View as will be understood, theinvention will be hereinafter fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings like characters of reference designate correspondingparts.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a cap constructed in accordancewith my invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar View taken at a right angle to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of of one of the spring clamps, and

Fig. 5 is the same view as Fig. 1 except that the sliding member is inits outward position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the fragmental portion of awheel felly, and 2 the washer which screws onto the valve stem andagainst the felly for holding the valve stem in place. Said washer isprovided with a central neck 3, which is threaded on its outer peripheryas indicated at 4. The cap or casing 5 is of the ordinary style with anopen end 6, which is adapted to fit against the washer 2, and a closedend 7. Within the casing 5., and fixed to the opposite sides thereof byrivets 8 or other suitable means, are a pair of spring clamps 9, Whit/l1Garry their vfree ends semi-circular Serial N0. 213,035.

plates 10, having their inner faces threaded as at 11, for engaging thethreads of the neck 3. Said spring clamps are normally out of engagementwith the neck 3, and for forcing' the teeth thereof into locking'engagement with the threads of the neck, a slidable member 12 isemployed. This slidable member consistsof a pair of legs 13, which areconnected at one end by a yoke 14. The legs of the slidable member 12are arranged to slide within the casing 5, between the spring clamps 9,and their free ends over the adjacent ends of the semicircular plates 10for forcing them toward one another and thereby causing them to engagethe neck 3. In 'order that the free ends of the legs 13 may easily passbehind the semi-circular plates 10, the inner sides of said ends of thelegs are beveled at 15 and the outer faces of said plates are cut on aninclination at 16. rihe slidable member 12 isactuated by means of a rod1 7, which is fixed to the yoke 14, and slidably mounted in an opening18 of the closed-end 7 of the casing. The rod 17 terminates in a head 19for convenience of operation.

When it is desired to attach the cap, the slidable member 12 is firstwithdrawn by pulling outwardiy on the rod 17 which action draws the freeends of the legs 13 clear of the adjacent ends of the semi-circularplates 10 of the spring` clamps and allows them to spring away from oneanother. The cap is then placed in position over the neck 3, as shown inFig. 5, and the rod 17 forced inwardly. This causes thefree ends of thelegs 13 to pass back of the adjacent ends of the semi-circular plates10, and thereby force them toward one another whereby their teeth 11 aremade to lock into the threads of the neck 3. To detach the cap, it isonly necessary to pull the rod 17 outwardly. The spring clamps 9 willreturn to their normal positions out of engagement with the neck 3, andthe cap may be removed.

It will be understood that slight changes in the details of constructionmay be made within the scope of the claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A cap for valve stems comprising a casing, clamps arranged within thecasing, movable means within the casing for actuating the clamps, andmeans extending through the top of the casing for actuating said movablemeans, substantially Vas described.

2. A cap for valve stems comprising a casing having an open end and aclosed end, a pair oi clamps arranged within the casing near its openend, means within the casing for actuating the clamps,` and a rodprojecting through the closed end of the casing for actuating said meansfor actuacv ing the clamps, substantially as. described.

3. A cap Vfor valve stems comprising a casing, a pair of spring clampshaving one of their ends attached to the inside of the casing, the freeends of the spring clamps 7 terminating in semi-circular plates, aslidablermem'ber within the casing, the slidable member having a pair oflegsadapted to engagev said platesfior Jforcing them into lockingaction, and a rodtix'ed to the-slidf able member and extending throughthe casing for actuating the slidable member, substantially asdescribed.

4t. In a cap Jfor valve stems, the'combinaltion of a washer, having athreadedneck, a casing overthejneclr, a pair o-i spring clamps havingvvone oftheir ends attachedy to the inside of the casing, the free ends ofthe spring clamps terminating l1n semicircular plates, the semi-circularplates being provided withy teeth adapted to engagey said threaded neck7a'slidable member within the easing, the slidable member having a vpairof legs adapted to engage said plates within `the outside tubular memberabovethe clamping portions of the jaws and slidable axially with respectto said outside tubular member thereby to effect operativeandinoperative positioning of said clamp-.

ing jaws by a relative sliding movement between said members. v Y

6. A dust cap having an open lower end adapted to be applied to a valvelstem and comprising an outside tubular member, a pair of resilient jawsixedly mounted with respect to said outside member, a second memberhaving rits lower portion entirely within the outside member above theclamping portions of the jaws and slidable axially with respect to saidoutside member thereby to effect Vcontraction and release of saidclamping aws upon a relatively sliding Vmovement between said members. Y

7. A dust cap having an open lower end adapted to be applied toa valvestem and comprising an outside tubular Vmember, a pair of clamping jawsxedlymounted'with respectV to said outside member, a second memberhaving. its lower portion entirely inside ofA the outside memberand alsohav-- ing a portion extending through` and beyond tlievupper endof theoutside member `Said second member being slidable axially with respectto the outside member said jaws and second mentioned member-having en#gaging portions thereby to effect` movement.V Vto operative andinoperative position v01"" said jaws by a relative sliding movement be-Atween ysaid members.` Y i 8. A dust cap comprising an outside -tubularmember, a pairvot' clamping jaws mounted inside ofand upon the saidoutside inem ber, a second member having its lower portion Ventirelyinside of the` outside member said` second vmember also having aportion' extending through and beyond the upperA end of theY outsidemember said second member being slidable axially with respect to theoutsidermeinber said jaws and second member having engagingparts-whereby to eiect movement ofsaid jaws to operative and inoperativeposition vby a relatively liding movement between the said memers. 1

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

HENRY B. MEAD.

